All Articles Tagged "Samuel L. Jackson"

The graphic novel industry is still a major force to be reckoned with. In 2014, more than $800 million worth of graphic novels sold around the world. And while these works may be successful, just like television and film, diversity remains a major issue within the comic book world.

We all may be familiar with Green Lantern, The Boondocks, Storm from X-Men, Black Panther, and Luke Cage, but there are a number of other lesser-known graphic novels featuring people of color that are worth picking up, and characters of color worth paying attention to who have come and gone. We take a look at 10 Black graphic novels that you may not have known about and should pick up (links provided!).

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The NBA playoff season is heating up with the Miami Heat looking to three-peat while fighting off championship contenders such as the Oklahoma City Thunders, Houston Rockets and the Brooklyn Nets. In honor of this exciting time of year, we take a look at some of our favorite basketball movies.

He Got Game

Spike Lee and Denzel Washington have collaborated on several films together including his 1997 film He Got Game. Washington played Jake Shuttleworth, a prison inmate and the father of the country’s top high school basketball star who was granted a one-week parole release to convince his son to play for the governor’s alma mater. Real life NBA player Ray Allen made his debut into film as the star player Jesus Shuttleworth but he wasn’t the only hoops star cast in the movie. Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Reggie Miller, Rick Fox, Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen and Bill Walton also appeared in the film.

Nothing in this world lasts forever, which is why so many try their hardest to make their 15 minutes of fame longer.

Then there are others who just need a break from the hustle, choosing to step away from the limelight. Here’s a look at 10 celebrities who quit acting or said they are going to in the near future. Surprisingly (or not) many actors and actresses of color did not make it on the list. Must be nice to quit a job.

Well, today we learned that LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Samuel L. Jackson’s wife is set to take her place. Richardson Jackson was last on Broadway in 2009 when she starred in “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.” Richardson was asked to take Carroll’s place last Saturday.

Richardson Jackson said, “This is not even serendipitous. This is a miracle. This is an incredible dream. I could cry, but I don’t have time.”

Carroll, who is 78, withdrew from the production, because of rigorous demands for the rehearsal and performance schedule.

Richardson Jackson said the only downside of her starring in this role is the fact that Carroll will not be in the play as she was looking forward to seeing her in it.

The productions will also star Denzel Washington, Sophie Okonedo and Anika Noni Rose.

Richardson Jackson just so happened to be in New York planning to see her friends–Pauletta Washingtong, Denzel’s wife, in a cabaret. But all of that ended on Saturday when her night was spent signing contracts.

“A Raisin in the Sun” starts on March 8 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre and opening night is April 3.

Richardson Jackson’s off Broadway credits include “From the Mississippi Delta” and “The Talented Tenth” and her TV roles have included parts on “Ally McBeal” and “100 Centre Street.” She appeared in the films “Sleepless in Seattle” and “Malcolm X.”

At 64, she is five years older than Washington, 59, who will be playing her son. Washington was last on Broadway in the 2010 production of “Fences” for which he won a Tony for lead actor.

This will be the second Broadway revival of Lorraine Hansberry’s play. The original featured Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee and the 2004 version starred Diddy, Phylicia Rashad, Sanaa Lathan and was directed by Leon.

If there’s anyone in Hollywood who will keep it real, it’s Samuel L. Jackson. The man has never been one to bite his tongue. And no matter how successful he gets, he stays trill.

So when A KTLA entertainment reporter, Sam Rubin, mistook him for Laurence Fishburne, Jackson went all the way in…on live television.

Rubin was interviewing Jackson in promotion for his upcoming movie Robocop when he asked him if he got a lot of reaction for his Super Bowl commercial. Referring to the Kia commercial Fishburne starred in. Jackson tore his face all the way up before responding, “What Super Bowl commercial?”

And it was on from there.

Jackson said things like, “We don’t all look alike…” and said, “You’re an entertainment reporter? There must be a short line for your job.”

The reporter tried to move on and put the blunder behind him. He said, “Let’s talk about RoboCop” to which Jackson replied, “Oooh hell no.” He proceeded to name all the black men he was not.

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Hollywood just loves to have a white person donning a cape come in and save some poor, Black soul. While some of these White Savior movies were based on true stories, others were just made up and a little too over the top.

The Blindside

Sandra Bullock is known as America’s sweetheart but she won even more hearts over in the 2009 film The Blind Side. Based on the 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, the film follows Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman Michael Oher’s life from impoverished beginnings to the NFL. Oher had nothing in his life going for him but football until a white couple, played by Bulllock and Tim McGraw, came along to adopt him. The film grossed over $300 million and Bullock earned critical acclaim and accolades for her performance. She also won a Golden Globe and the coveted Oscar gold for Best Actress.

Spike Lee’s once-highly anticipated remake of the cult Korean classic Oldboy crashed with a thud at the box office this past weekend, earning just $1.3 million in its first five days of release.

This marks the latest cinematic disappointment for Lee, who is coming off two straight flops — 2008′sMiracle at St. Anna and last year’s critically reviled low-budget drama Red Hook Summer.

Oldboy initially had strong buzz thanks to its cast (headlined by Josh Brolin and Samuel L. Jackson) and its popular source material. But apparently friction with the studio producing the film may have compromised the final product, which received mostly tepid reviews from critics.

Before you say it, yes, it is a slow news day. But, this is still an interesting little story nonetheless; although I apologize whole-heartedly if you begin having visions of Samuel L. Jackson in the buff afterward.

Anywho, Samuel L. recently sat down for an interview with Playboy magazine and naturally the conversation turned to sex, particularly the first time the 64-year-old actor had it. Recalling spending some holiday time with his family on a farm in Georgia some 53 years ago or so, Mr. Jackson shared:

‘There was a family of girls who lived through the woods from us, and we all used to meet at this creek and swim unclothed. ”I was about 10 or 11. I think two of the girls were about 14, 15, so that’s when it happened.”

Before you go assuming Sammy likes the older ladies, though, the veteran actor explains he didn’t discriminate much when it came to getting some action back in the day.

”Girls were interesting to me, period,” he told the mag. “They could be fat, skinny, tall, short, ugly, beautiful – as long as they were willing to do that thing.”

And men everywhere collectively put their hands up in agreement.

The funny thing is even though Samuel may not have had any qualms about sexing girls/ladies of a wide variety back in the day, he’s not one for participating in sex scenes in movies. Earlier this summer, he told UK talk show host Graham Norton:

“I hate n*de scenes, you have to ask where it’s okay to touch and where it’s not okay to touch and then you have to apologize for getting excited or for not getting excited. I’m sorry if I do and I’m sorry if I don’t. It’s a weird conversation to have.”

Perhaps that’s why Mother and Child is the only film in recent history where the highest-paid actor of all time had a romp in the hay on-camera.

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Do we need to say more than the cast of “Do The Right Thing” reunites to get you excited?

The classic Spike Lee movie usually tops the list of film favs when it comes to projects from the famed director which is why we were so happy to come across this pic of the stars of the film on Facebook this afternoon.

As it turns out, Spike, Samuel L. Jackson, Giancarlo Esposito, and Bill Nunn got together for a photo shoot with Entertainment Weekly. The magazine is working on their reunion issue for October and Mookie, Radio Raheem, Bugging Out, and Mister Señor Love Daddy will be in on the action. In other pics we see EW also got a hold of Rosie Perez, aka Mookie’s girlfriend Tina, and Ruby Dee (Mother Sister). Can you believe it’s been 24 years since this flick was released in 1989?!

So far details on what this reunion issue will entail are slim but we will definitely be checking for the story as it unfolds. For now, though, check out more pics from Spike Lee’s Instagram as the cast of “Do The Right Thing” reunites.

Contrary to popular belief, being an actor isn’t always glamorous. These stars had to reach deep inside themselves and take a walk on the dark side to play a part most weren’t familiar with at all — a drug addict.

WENN

Alfre Woodard

Famed actress Alfre Woodard has played many characters. One unforgettable role was friend and neighbor to a gay drag queen played by Ving Rhames. Woodard was Wanda in the 2000 movie Holiday Heart, a drug-addicted single mom with a heart of gold who was down on her luck. This isn’t the first time Woodard portrayed a character addicted to a substance. Two years earlier she starred in Down In The Delta as an addict forced to move to Mississippi with her children.